'Butterfly girl' saved by pillow

EVERY time that 'butterfly girl' Melissa Hughes turns over in bed she risks getting up to 30 blisters. But now 11-year-old Melissa, from Stockport, is getting a good night's sleep at last thanks to a silky new fabric.

EVERY time that 'butterfly girl' Melissa Hughes turns over in bed she risks getting up to 30 blisters.

Mum Gill, 33, and step-father Daniel, 24, can't even give her a hug for fear of hurting her - and two-year-old brother Ayden knows he hasn't to bump into her in case it damages her skin.

Melissa suffers from a rare genetic condition called epidermolysis bullosa, or EB, which makes her skin so sensitive it peels away when she lies down or rubs against anything, including the sheets on her bed.

Youngsters with EB are known as butterfly children because their skin is so delicate.

But now 11-year-old Melissa, from Stockport, is getting a good night's sleep at last thanks to a silky new fabric.

Melissa is trying out a pillow made from the material, which is designed to slip from the skin without causing any friction.

After finding the pillow so comfortable, Melissa is now hoping to get a bed sheet and even underwear in the same material.

"My new pillow is really soft and slippery, like silk, and I can get a good night's sleep," said Melissa. "I'd love them to make me some sheets."

'Tremendous'

id: "It has really helped to reduce her blistering at night. It's been tremendous."

Each morning and evening, Melissa and her mum spend three hours putting fresh dressings on her blisters.

She has had operations to open up her hands and fingers, and to have her oesophagus widened. Despite the setbacks, Melissa goes to mainstream school and loves it.

Melissa will be telling her story on TV in an appeal to raise funds for charity DebRA.

The appeal on BBC Lifeline on Sunday will be presented by model and DebRA vice-president Nell McAndrew.

Gill said: "She really enjoyed the filming. It was sort of `a day in the life of Melissa' and they followed her at home and school."